Rehabilitation
assistance with
Commlnsure
Income Protection
This advice has been prepared by CommInsure, a registered business name of The
Colonial Mutual Life Assurance Society Limited ABN 12 004 021 809 AFSL 235035
(CMLA). The examples and case studies in this brochure are hypothetical stories based
on our understanding of typical customers and are included for illustrative purposes
only. The names and identifying features do not reflect any particular person. As this
advice has been prepared without considering your objectives, financial situation or
needs, you should, before acting on the advice, consider its appropriateness to your
circumstances. Income Protection is a component of CommInsure Protection. The
CommInsure Protection Product Disclosure Statement (PDS) is issued by CMLA and
The Colonial Mutual Superannuation Pty Ltd ABN 56 006 831 983 AFSL 235025, the
Trustee of the Colonial Super Retirement Fund ABN 40 328 908 469 (the Fund). CMLA
is responsible for the administration of the Fund and provides insurance benefits to
the Fund as insurer. The CommInsure Protection PDS is available from your financial
adviser, by calling 13 10 56 or from commbank.com.au and should be considered in
making any decision about these products. CMLA and the Trustee are both wholly
owned but non-guaranteed subsidiaries of the Commonwealth Bank of Australia
ABN 48 123 123 124 AFSL 234945. CommInsure can be contacted by phone, our
web site or you can write to us. You pay us premiums or fees for the products that
we provide to you. We do not charge you any additional fees for the products that we
provide to you with any general advice. Staff within CommInsure who provide a service
do not receive specific payments or commissions for the giving of that service but do
receive salaries. Bonuses and other benefits may also be paid by us. You may receive
advice in relation to the products we offer from financial advisers that do not work for
CommInsure. These advisers may receive remuneration from us. Your adviser may be
required to set out the remuneration and commissions they receive in their financial
services guide or statement of advice.
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Getting you back
in business
Research shows that work is generally good for health and
wellbeing, and that long term work absence, work disability
and unemployment generally have a negative impact on
health and wellbeing.1
If you’ve been out of action due to illness or injury, getting
yourself back into the workforce can be a hard task on
your own. As a CommInsure Income Protection customer,
our full-time rehabilitation consultants can offer a managed
process with appropriate and timely services, at no cost
to you.
As a CommInsure Income Protection customer our
rehabilitation consultants can offer a managed process with
appropriate and timely services, at no cost to you.
1.Source: Realising the Health Benefits of Work (www.healthbenefitsofwork.edu.au
Australasian Faculty of Occupational and Environmental Medicine (AFOEM).
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CommInsure’s occupational
rehabilitation service
How does it work?
Our rehabilitation consultants will assess your individual needs
in consultation with you and your treating doctor, and will
develop a plan tailored to your individual needs. Your doctor
usually advises the timing for your return to work and we
may also obtain advice from your specialist, or a doctor that
we have selected to assist. If and when it is appropriate, our
consultants will refer you to a local occupational rehabilitation
provider.
Our rehabilitation consultants will monitor your progress
together with you, your doctor and the occupational
rehabilitation provider (when engaged). This ensures your
individual rehabilitation plan stays effective and can be revised
if necessary.
If you initially start back at work in your own occupation on
reduced hours or light duties, CommInsure’s Partial Disability
Benefit may be able to assist by providing ongoing financial
support whilst you gradually increase your work capacity, in
line with your medical recovery. Similarly, if you are medically
required to return to work in an alternate occupation and you
earn less income than you did previously, you may also be
entitled to a Partial Disability Benefit (assuming all other policy
conditions are met).
Let us know
If you feel you would benefit from our free occupational
rehabilitation service, please let us know in your claim
form, or in your next progress certificate, and one of our
rehabilitation consultants will contact you. Alternatively
you may wish to contact one of our rehabilitation
consultants directly.
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CommInsure rehabilitation
consultants
Linda Winterbottom
B.A (Psych), Grad. Dip Rehab Clng, CDMP
Linda is a Rehabilitation Counsellor with more than 19 years
of experience in assisting individuals return to work following
injury or illness. She has a degree in psychology, postgraduate
qualifications in rehabilitation counselling and has international
certification as a Disability Management Professional. Linda
has extensive experience in all aspects of rehabilitation and
has previously lectured at Sydney University in vocational and
psychiatric rehabilitation. Linda is currently the Manager of the
rehabilitation team. Linda won the 2013 ALUCA TurksLegal
Scholarship.
Julie MacCormick
B.Hlth.Sc (Rehabilitation counselling)
A degree in rehabilitation counselling and more than 15 years
Australian and international rehabilitation experience makes
Julie one of the most skilled consultants in the rehabilitation
team. Joining CommInsure in 2005, Julie established the
CommInsure rehabilitation unit. Julie’s specialist area of
interest is assisting claimants suffering from mental illness.
Her paper on Managing Mental Illness won her the 2007
TurksLegal Scholarship.
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June Khaw
BAppSc (Phty)
June is a qualified Physiotherapist with over 17 years’
experience, having worked in both inpatient and outpatient
rehabilitation settings providing clinical treatment for 8 years.
And prior to that, working as an in-house Rehabilitation
Adviser for various insurers over the last 9 years. June’s
expertise in orthopaedic and musculoskeletal injuries is
second to none. She is passionate, pro-active and highly
skilled at developing creative solutions to overcome recovery
and return to work barriers.
Tim Hulme
B.A.Psych (Hons)
Tim is a registered psychologist who has been working
in occupational rehabilitation for the last 12 years. He has
experience in providing job seeking assistance, career
counselling and vocational assessment services for people
who are unable to return to their pre-disability careers. A good
knowledge of rehabilitation service providers across Australia
ensures he is also able to match the right people with the
most appropriate services.
If you are interested in receiving rehabilitation assistance,
speak to your income protection claims assessor or call
13 1056.
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Here are some tips to help
you prepare for your return
to work
Things to think about:
• When you begin to feel better, be positive and start
planning what steps may need to be taken for you to
return to work.
• Will you be returning to your previous job, or another
type of job?
• If you are not sure about the way forward, think about
your skills, assets and special interests that may benefit
an employer.
• Think about any barriers that may need to be overcome,
as well as any fears, concerns or questions you have.
• If you are employed, think about contacting your employer
to advise them you may soon be ready to return to work
and discuss possible options.
• If you own your own business, think about what actions
you will need to undertake to return to the business and
what extra support you may need.
Things you can do:
• Your daily routine is important after time off, so make a list
of your daily activities. Include such things as the time you
get up in the morning, the activities you do during the day
and any exercise. This will be important to a rehabilitation
provider to assist you in your return to work. Your Claims
Assessor may automatically provide you with an Activity
Diary to assist you with this, or alternatively you can ask
us for one.
• If you are employed, try to make the effort to stay in
contact with your Employer throughout your absence to
keep them informed and to assure them of your interest
in returning to work when recovered.
• The closer you come to the day of your return to work,
try to get up at reasonable times and allow for travel,
even if you haven’t started yet.
• Ensure all family/childcare responsibilities have been
discussed and appropriate arrangements put in place to
support your successful return to work.
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If you are unable to return to your pre‑disability
occupation due to medical circumstances:
• Start thinking about your skills, assets, special interests
and how you can utilise these in other jobs.
• Think about what types of jobs will give you a similar
income to that which you used to earn and which you
already have skills.
• Start searching the newspapers and internet to become
familiar with the types of jobs available.
• Prepare your resume and gather up your past employment
records, ready to go to an initial interview with a
rehabilitation provider.
What are the benefits of occupational rehabilitation
for you?
• Individualised plan tailored to your personal
circumstances.
• Access to experts specialising in recovery and return
to work.
• Assistance in accessing schemes that may subsidise
your treatment costs.
• Improved fitness and capacity to work.
• Increased independence.
• Improved adjustment to disability.
• Safe and timely return to the workforce.
• Development of strategies to help you stay at work.
What occupational rehabilitation services may be
available?
• Individualised return to work guidance and planning.
• Meetings with your treating doctor and your employer
(if applicable).
• Arranging workplace modifications that will assist with
returning to work.
• Arranging modified, graduated, or alternate duties in your
business or with your employer, consistent with medical
advice.
• Supervised gym program to improve your work capacity.
• Career counselling and job seeking assistance – when
you are medically unable to return to your previous
employment.
• Business/Executive coaching.
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CommInsure’s success
stories
Richard’s story*
Richard was a 58 year old business consultant when he was
referred to our rehabilitation consultants suffering depression.
After discussions with Richard and his treating doctor, it
became apparent that he was not getting adequate treatment.
A suitable psychologist was identified in his local area and
to ensure the treatment was affordable, we helped make
arrangements to ensure maximum Medicare rebate would
be received.
Richard’s health improved considerably following the new
treatment and approval was soon gained from his doctor
for him to start a graduated return to work. His doctor
believed a full return to work could be achieved over a three
month period. Richard was then referred to an executive
outplacement service for ongoing support and assistance.
* This is an actual claim, but name and location has been changed for privacy.
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Marlena’s story*
Marlena, aged 36 and a medical practitioner based in
Melbourne, experienced a gradual onset of low back pain
which resulted in total disability.
While surgery was able to return some movement, Marlena
continued to experience significant pain. She was unable to
travel long distances to her consulting rooms and found it
difficult to work full time. Bending to examine patients and
sitting for long periods to write reports increased her pain.
After CommInsure arranged for an occupational therapist
to assess her work environment, we provided her with an
ergonomic chair and hydraulically operated height adjustable
examination table. Adjustments were also made to the
seating in her car, allowing her to travel greater distances
with reduced pain.
These ergonomic adjustments enabled Marlena to gradually
increase her work hours, without experiencing an increase in
her back pain.
* This is an actual claim, but name and location has been changed for privacy.
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Jake’s story*
At 24 and working in the Western Australian transport
industry, Jake injured his hand severely enough to prevent
him from further work in the industry.
When he was initially approached by our rehabilitation
consultants he was very unsure as to what he was going to
do and appreciated the assistance with returning to work.
Through vocational counselling, we identified that security
work would be a suitable career path for him. We were able
to help him to obtain his security licence and find his first job
within the industry.
* This is an actual claim, but name and location has been changed for privacy.
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CIL1596 200913
13 1056
8am-8pm (Sydney time)
Monday to Friday
commbank.com.au